Telephone indicator



May 6, 1924. 1,493,356

J. N. LITTLELJOHN ET AL.

TELEPHONE INDICATOR Filed Oct. 51 1921 'INVENTORS 7' AYTORNEY wxm ass:

Patented May 6, 1924.

UNITED JOSEPH N. LITTLEJ'OHN AND SAMUEL M. GAULT, OF GAEFNEY, SOUTIzLCAROLINA;

TELEPHONE INDICATOR.

Application filed October 31, 1921. Serial No. 511,855.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOSEPH N. LITTLE- JOHN and SAMUEL M. GAUL'r, citizens of the United States, residin at Gaifney, in the county of Cherokee an State of South Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Telephone Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to annunciators, and has particular reference to that class of device used in connection with telephones and operable to inform a person upon his return to the office, that he was called on the phone during his absence.

The present invention resides in the specific construction of the annunciator which is pivotally mounted within the telephone call box, and of substantially L-shaped for-- mation, one branch of the annunciator having an offset portion which normally reposes against the hammer of the telephone so as to shift the annunciator from its normal to its active position incident to the vibration of the hammer, the remaining branch of the annunciator being provided with the word Called which is pre-' sented to view through an opening provided in the telephone box, when the annunciator is in its active position, means being provided for returning the annunciator to normal position when the receiver is removed from its usual support.

The nature and advantages of the inven-' tion will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, the invention residing in the construction, combination. and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawing forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein:-

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a telephone box showing how the word Called is presented to view through the opening in said box.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of a telephone box, partly in section, showing the normal position of the annunciator.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on lines 33 of Figure 2, showing the manner in which the annunciator is mounted. 1

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the annunclator.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 10

indicates a telephone call box,"the front wall of' which is provided with an'opening, '11 for a purpose to be presently described; Arranged within the call box and pivoted upon the support .12 in the call box, is the annunciator for the purpose above mentioned.

This annunciator is clearly illustrated in Figure 4, and is constructed from any suitable material found suitable for the purpose, the annunciator being of substantially L-shaped formation, including the branches 13 and 14 respectively. The branch 13 extends a slight distance beyond the lower edge of the branch 14 and terminates to provide a loop 15 for the reception of the pivot 16 upon which it is loosely mounted. This branch 13 terminates at its opposite end in an offset portion 17 which normally reposes against the bell hammer 18 of the call mechanism. A weight 19 is also associated with the branch 13 to assist in holding the annunciator in its entirety in either its normal position at one side of the pivot so as shown in Figure 2, or in its active position at the opposite side of the pivot. The branch 14 carries the word Called, which is so positioned upon the branch 14, that when the annunciator is moved to its active position, the word Called is presented to view through the opening 11 in the front wall of the box 10.

In practice, when the circuit is closed and the hammer of the telephone vibratedin the usual manner, the annunciator by reason of its normal contacting engagement with the hammer is moved upon its pivot from its normal position as shown in Figure 2, to its active position at the opposite side of the pivot as illustrated in Figure 1. Consequently, if a person is called on the phone during his absence, the annunciator will inform him of such call when he returns; The movable hook 21 which supports the receiver 22-, carries an extension 23positioned within the telephone box, and disposed to be engaged by the heel extension 13* onthe branch 14 of the annunciator when the latter assumes its active position.

Now, when the receiver is removed from the hook, the latter which normally moves in an upward direction, causes the extension 23 to move the annunciator 23 upon its pivot to normal position. The invention is not only simple in construction, which permite of it being manufactured and sold at a very nominal cost, but it is also in the nature of an attachment for a telephone, and can be installed Within the latter Without any material alteration.

WVhile it is believed that from the foregoing description, the nature and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent, We desire to have it understood that We do not limit ourselves to What is hereinshoWn-and described, and that such changes may be resorted to when desired as fall Within the scope of What is claimed.

What is claimed is As a new article of manufacture, an anration, one branch of the annunciator being shaped at its lower end to form a pivot barrel, and the opposite end of said branch being offset and the other branch of the annunciator carrying indicia on its face and being provided with a heel extension at its inner end.

In testin'iony whereof we aflix our signatures.

JOSEPH LITTLEJOHN. SAMUEL M. GAULT. 

